Description

The monument comprises the remains of a barrow cemetery of prehistoric date represented by a series of cropmarks visible on oblique aerial photographs.

The site lies on level ground on the NE bank of the Lunan Water and on the S bank of its tributary the Gighty Burn at around 35m OD. It is fringed by high ground to the N and E but elsewhere the landscape is open and flat, and rich in settlement and funerary remains of the prehistoric and early historic periods.

The cemetery comprises a series of both circular and square barrows. At least five circular barrows are present ranging from a minimum of 6m in diameter to a maximum of 15m, with well-defined central grave- pits. At least twelve square barrows have also been identified, measuring up to 12m square.

Four of these are clustered together forming a block some 12m square. This cluster lies on the periphery of the distribution adjacent to modern Invergighty Cottage. A further group of four adjoining each other forms a linear NW-SE band. The other barrows are all separate although several appear almost to be grouped in linear arrangements.

The area to be scheduled encompasses the visible features and an area around them in which traces of associated activity may be expected to survive. It is irregular in shape with maximum dimensions of 300m NW-SE by 210m as marked in red on the accompanying map.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Statement of Scheduling

The monument is of national importance because of its potential to add to our understanding of prehistoric and 1st millennium AD funerary practice. The barrow cemetery is one of the largest known from this period and presents a major opportunity for the examination of the range and development of burial practices in lowland Scotland at this time.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Sources

Bibliography

RCAHMS records the monument as NO 64 NW 42.

Reference:

RCAHMS (1978) Lunan Valley List, No. 27.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland